Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has warned that electing the wrong presidential candidate in the 2027 election will trigger severe economic hardship, including petrol prices rising to N2,500 per litre and diesel to N3,000.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Sunday, September 20, and signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin. The statement, obtained by Legit.ng, outlined a series of predicted economic and security challenges linked to making the wrong electoral choice.
Predicted Price Surges and Economic Hardship
According to Primate Ayodele, a wrong candidate would drive petrol to N2,500 per litre and diesel to N3,000. Electricity tariffs and WAEC examination fees would also climb sharply, with the exam fee rising to N70,000 and a bag of cement hitting N18,000.
"If Nigeria votes for the wrong candidate in 2027, petrol will rise to N2,500, and diesel will go to N3,000. There will be economic hardship, and insecurity will increase," he said.
"Another new terrorist group will come up, and electricity tariffs will rise. WAEC fee will rise to N70,000, and a bag of cement will rise to N18,000 regardless of whatever Dangote does," he added.
Security and Corruption Concerns
Beyond the economy, the cleric alleged that a new terrorist group would emerge, foreign reserves would fall, corruption would worsen, and those at the bottom of the income ladder would bear the heaviest burden.
"The poor will suffer it greatly, and everything will change. There will be wrong policies, our foreign reserves will go down, corruption will increase," he said.
Call for Wise Voting Decisions
Primate Ayodele urged Nigerians to resist voting for candidates in exchange for food or cash, saying the long-term cost of such decisions would fall squarely on ordinary citizens.
"Nigerians must open their eyes before voting for any candidate in the forthcoming election. This election will determine a lot, and if care isn't taken, Nigerians will move into another round of hardship. Don't just vote for people because of cups of rice and a few thousand," he stated.
"Whatever decision you make determines your life in the next four years. If a wrong candidate emerges, it will be difficult for Nigerians," he added.
The cleric also promised to guide Nigerians on identifying the right candidate in the months ahead, saying he would soon disclose who he believes God has chosen for the country.
"In the coming days, I will reveal God's choice for Nigerians in the coming election. I will let the people know how to identify the best candidate, but it's left to them to decide what they want to follow. However, a wrong candidate will bring severe hardship," Primate Ayodele said.
Context: Rising Petrol Prices
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that petrol prices in Nigeria reached as high as N1,520 per litre in some states. The increases pushed up transport fares and prompted the Nigeria Labour Congress to demand urgent government intervention.
